Exemplar House, Maison A Bordeaux

I believe the Maison A Bordeaux is on of the most prolific and spectacular designs of the Twentieth century, its original concepts and amazing materials used create an atmosphere that is truly incredible. I have chosen this particular house because i wanted to incorporate the design element used within the Maison A Bordeaux's structure within my own design.





(OMA, 2010)


Environmental Filter
The maison a Bordeaux house creates a very interactive feel with the environment as an environmental filter. The lower level is situated partially underground and has a lot of glass and viewing position of the court yard, this in turn creates a sense of unity with the hill the house is situated on. It also allows a great deal of light to penetrate the lower part of the house. The house acts as a natural filter by combining an incredibly designed exterior with dark earthy tones and unrefined materials.


(GIZMODO, 2008)

Container of Human Activities

The Maison A Bordeaux was primarily designed around being a container of human activities; the original owner of the house was in a wheel chair so uncluttered mobility was crucial. Its design allows the occupant to move virtually obstruction free within the second floor. Top and bottom floor contain an interesting collection of obscure corners and rooms. This is still fully accessible for disabled occupants by a platform lift that runs throughout the centre of the house. There is also an additional stairwell that spans all three floors. Although being somewhat abstract in design, the house does create a very efficient general flow. This makes it very easy for occupants to move around the house with minimal fuss and effort. Because the house design is so unique and bold, it really does give the occupant a very delightful experience.

( OMA, 2010)

Delightful Experience

The delightful experience within the Maison A Bordeaux is created by its contrast of minimalist design and obscure rooms. On the second level there are amazing, virtually unobstructed views of Bordeaux. These rooms are also very well lit. On the other hand you have the interesting rooms and views on level 3 with every porthole within the solid concrete frame giving a different perspective on the surrounding landscape. The bottom floor also expresses a delightful experience by creating a confined yet comforting mood. Its tight rooms wind through the bottom level and then open up to a massive court yard giving an impression of grand scale.

elevation

black and white concept sketch

detailed scetching

Floor Plans and Site Plan

the exemplar house site is thickly laced with bush and shrubbery

exemplar house floor plans

References

Architecture.about, 2010 http://architecture.about.com/library/blkoolhaas-maisonbordeaux.htm (Accessed 12/3/2010)

e-architect, 2010 http://www.e-architect.co.uk/bordeaux/maison_a_bordeaux.htm (Accessed 12/3/2010)
GIZMODO. 2008. http://www.gizmodo.fr/2008/03/29/koolhaas_la_maison_transformers.html (Accessed 13/3/2010)
Bradbury, Dominic. 2009. The Iconic House: Architectural masterworks since 1900. Thankes and Hudson. 2009.

(OMA) Office For Metropolitan Architecture.2010. http://www.oma.nl/ (Accessed 12/3/2010